Heuchera plant named ‘Galaxy’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Heuchera  plant characterized by leaves that are red brown with hot pink spots in spring and when new to almost black with pink spots in older leaves summer through winter medium large, glossy leaves, well branched, medium large, mounding habit, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Heuchera hybrid.

Variety designation: ‘Galaxy’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heucheraand given the cultivar name of ‘Galaxy’. Heuchera is in the familySaxifragaceae. Heuchera ‘Galaxy’ originated from a cross betweenHeuchera K428-5, a proprietary non-commercial hybrid, as the seedparent, and Heuchera K428-11, a proprietary non-commercial hybrid, asthe pollen parent.

Compared to the seed parent, Heuchera K428-5, the new cultivar hasglossy red brown, rather than dull brown, spring leaves.

Compared to the pollen parent, Heuchera K428-11, the new cultivar has alarger habit and larger leaves.

Compared to Heuchera ‘Midnight Rose’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,551, thenew cultivar has leaves that are red brown with pink spots rather thanblack with pink spots, a larger habit, larger leaves, and fewer andshorter inflorescences.

This new Heuchera is uniquely distinguished by:

-   -   1. leaves that are red brown with hot pink spots in spring and        when new to almost black with pink spots in older leaves summer        through winter,    -   2. medium large, glossy leaves,    -   3. well branched, medium large, mounding habit,    -   4. excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (tipcuttings and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttingsand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may change with variations in environmentwithout a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a one-and-a-half-year-old plant of Heuchera ‘Galaxy’growing in a two gallon container, grown in a cool greenhouse, in May inCanby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows the new cultivar in bloom, growing outside in a trial bedearly in June in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 3 shows a close up of the new cultivar grown in a cold greenhousein the middle of May in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Heuchera cultivarbased on observations taken in April of one-and-a-half-year-oldspecimens growing in one gallon containers, grown in a cool greenhouse,in late May in Canby, Oreg. Canby is Zone 8 on the USDA Hardiness map.Temperatures range from a high of 95 degrees F. in August to an averageof 32 degrees F. in January. Normal rainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches peryear. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart. 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Basal rosette, herbaceous perennial.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 4 to 9.        -   Size.—27 cm tall from top of the foliage to the ground and            52 cm wide.        -   Habit.—Mounding.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Rosette.        -   Shape.—Ovate to orbicular.        -   Lobing/division.—7 shallow lobes, shallow secondary lobes.        -   Venation.—Palmate.        -   Margins.—Broadly crenate.        -   Apex.—Mucronulate.        -   Base.—Cordate, lobes sometime overlapping at the base.        -   Blade size.—Grows to 17 cm long and 16 cm wide.        -   Texture.—Leathery.        -   Surface texture.—Glandular pubescent on both sides.        -   Petiole description.—Grows to 19 cm long and 3 mm wide,            glandular hairs, Greyed Purple 187B.        -   Leaf color.—Variable, depending on light and temperature;            spring topside Greyed Purple 184A with spots Red Purple 68A,            bottom side Red Purple 59A; summer and fall topside, new            leaves are Greyed Purple 187B with spots Red Purple 68A,            bottom side Red Purple 59A; winter and mature leaves topside            are closest to Greyed Purple N186A with spots Red Purple            68C, bottom side Purple N79A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Size.—Grows to 4 cm wide and 7 cm long.        -   Type.—Thyrse.        -   Number of flowers per thyrse.—About 40.        -   Number of thyrse.—About 3 in the first spring flush.        -   Peduncle.—Grows to 40 cm long and 3.5 mm wide at base,            Greyed Purple 187A, glandular hairs.        -   Pedicel.—2 mm long, with glandular hairs, Greyed Purple            187A.        -   Bloom period.—May in Canby, Oreg.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—2.5 mm wide and 4 mm long.        -   Description.—Glandular puberulent, ovoid, down facing.        -   Color.—Greyed Red 185A.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Perfect.        -   Shape.—Campanulate.        -   Size.—7 mm long and 6 mm wide.        -   Corolla description.—5 petals, 3 mm long and 1 mm wide,            spatulate, reflexed, margins entire, tip acute, glabrous on            top and glandular on bottom side, White N155B.        -   Calyx description.—Campanulate, 6 mm long and 4 mm wide,            with 5 lobes divided ½ way to the base, each 1.5 mm wide and            2.5 mm long, glandular hairs outside and some glabrous            inside, tip obtuse, margin entire; color both sides Green            Yellow 1C, outside tinted with Greyed Red 181A, but most            strongly on the bottom half.        -   Stamen description.—5 in number, filaments 4 mm long, White            N155B, anthers 0.5 mm, Orange 26A, pollen Orange 31A.        -   Pistil description.—1, 2-beaked, 4 mm long and 1.5 mm wide,            Green Yellow 1A overall, ovary 1.5 mm long and 1.5 mm wide,            style 2.5 mm long.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lastingness.—Each thyrse blooms for about 3 weeks on the            plant.-   Fruit:    -   -   Type.—Two-beaked ovoid capsule.        -   Fertility.—Low.        -   Color.—Greyed Brown 199C.-   Seed:    -   -   Shape.—Linear.        -   Size.—2 mm long.        -   Color.—Black 202A.-   Pest and disease tolerance: The new cultivar is typical to the    genus. No known resistances to pests or diseases. No problems have    been found in Canby, Oreg.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Heuchera plant as herein illustrated anddescribed.